Switch-throwing device.



PATENTED JULY 21, 1903;

F. A. GRAHAM & J. R. NEELY. I

SWITCH THROWING DEVICE. APPILIOATION FILED JAN. 10, 1902. RENEWED FEB.24. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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WITNESSES K a,

TITORNEY.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 21, 1963. PATENT OFFICE.

FRED A. GRAHAM AND JOHN R. NEELY, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA.

SWITCH-THROWING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,260, dated July 21,1903.

Application filed .lanuary'lO, 1902. Renewed February 24, 1903. SerialNo. 144,830. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRED A. GRAHAM and JOHN R. NEELY, citizens of theUnited States, and residents of Muncie, in the county of Delaware andState of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Switch-Throwing Device,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in devices foroperating tongueswitches from the front platform of a car and by meansof the drivers or motormans foot.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which will performits functions at all times and in any kind of weather.

A still further object is to provide a device which is extremely simple,easily operated, and cheaply manufactured. v

These and other objects not hereinbefore mentioned are accomplished bythe con struction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein likeletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in. the several views,and

in which Figure l is a side elevation of our device applied to the frontplatform of a car, the platform and bracket being shown in longitudinalsection. Fl 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. e is a top plan viewof a tongue-switch, showing the tongue which is operated. Fig. 5 is aperspeotive of the switching-head.

In the drawings, A designates a portion of the front platform, andB abracket depending therefrom. The bracket is secured to the bottom of thecar by means of bolts E. Di-' rectly over the bracket there is formed inthe platform a transverse slot 0.

D designates the switch-throwing lever. This lever passes through theslot in the platform and through an aperture D in the bottom of thebracket. The portion of the lever between the bottom of the platform andtop of the bracket is rounded for a purpose hereinafter described. Theupper portion of the lever, which passes through the slot in theplatform,is squared to prevent the lever from rotating. Surrounding therounded portion of the lever is acoiled spring E. The upper end of thespring is secured to a ferrule E, which surrounds the lever. Secured tothe upper end of the ferrule is a plate E, which bears against thebottom of the squared portion of theleveigthereby supporting the same.The lower portion of the spring is secured to a ferruleF. Secured to thelower end of this ferrule is a plate F, which bears against the upperface of the bottom of the bracket. By this construction the lever isnormally held in its uppermost position. Secured to the upper end of thelever is a foot-rest G. In the construction as far as described it willbe seen that when the lever is lowered by the foot of the m otorm an thespring will be compressed and when the pressure is removed from thelever that the spring will force back the lever to its initial position.The foot-rest is provided with guard-flanges G to prevent the foot ofthe motorman from slipping off.

Secured to the lower end of the lever below the bracket is thetongue-throwing head H. This head is detachably secured to the lever bymeans of the set-bolt H. The upper 'portion of the head,through whichpasses the set bolt, is square, as shown at I. The portion directlybelow this is diamond-shaped, as shown at 1. Below this diamond-shapedportion is a point I. The longitudinal sides of this point formoppositely-extending bevels If, which extend up to the diamond-shapedportion. These sides are also slightly rounded,

forming sharp front and rear edges to come the lever, and in dottedlines is shown the two inclined positions into which the lever is movedto either throw the tongue to the right or the left. torman placing hisfoot on the foot-rest and moving it either to the right or the left, itbeing understood that the pivotal point of the lever is at the bottom ofthe bracket. Inasmuch as the lever cannot rotate owing to the squareupper portion, when the lever is forced down the point I will be forceddown between the tongue and rail and the bevel side portions of thepoint and diamond-shaped portion of the lower portion of the leverwillforce the tongue to either the right or left, as the case might be.The point having the rounded and beveled sides will make a wedge whichwill instantly start the tongue, and the diamond-shaped portion willforce the tongue This is accomplished by the 1110- over to the limit ofits movement, so that a flying switch can be made without stopping thecar. Inasmuch as the diamond-shaped portion only has its opposite sharpedges touching the tongue and rail, there is no chance for the lever tobind between the tongue and rail, and it only takes a small amount ofpressure by the motorman to move the tongue. The length of the slot inthe platform is of a sufficient length to allow the lateral movement ofthe lever only far enough so that when once moved the point of the leverwill always be forced down between the side of the tongue and side ofthe rail. By rounding the portion of the lever around which the springis coiled and reducing the size of the same we are enabled to use asmall spring and at the same time reduce the friction. By referring toFig. 1 it will be seen that the top of the spring bears against theferrule E and that the ferrule bears against the lower portion of thesquare portion, and not against the bottom of the platform. 3ythisconstruction we do away with all friction when the lever is laterallymoved. 7

Te are aware that many minor changes can be made in the construction andarrangements of parts without in the least departing from the nature andprinciples of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a switch-throwing device, the combination with a car-platformprovided with a transverse slot, of a bracket depending from theplatform beneath the slot, a lever pivoted to the lower portion of thebracket and provided with a square upper end which passes through theslot in the platform, a spring surrounding the lever below the platform,a ferrule to which the upper end of the spring is secured, the ferrulebearing against the lower portion of the square portion of the lever, aferrule to which the lower end of the spring is secured, the ferrulebearing against the lowerportion of the bracket, and a switchingheadsecured to the lever below the bracket.

2. In a switch-throwing device, the combination with a car-platformprovided with a transverse slot, of a bracket depending from theplatform beneath the slot, a lever pivoted to the lower portion of thebracket, the upper portion of the lever extending above the platformthrough the slot, and a switching-head secured to the lower end of thelever below the bracket, the lower end of the head being formed with apoint and opposi tely-extending beveled and rounded sides,longitudinally arranged, and extending upwardly and outwardly from thepoint, and a diamond-shaped portion above these sides.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in thepresence of two witnesses.

FRED A. GRAHAM. 7 JOHN R. NEELY. \Vi tnesses:

N. N. SPENCE, WM. DU VAL BROWN.

